More Links

NLL: Merrill, Bandits Duo Earn Awards

from press release

The National Lacrosse League has announced that Portland
LumberJax transition player Brodie Merrill has won Transition
Player of the Year; Buffalo Bandits defenseman Billy Dee Smith has
been named Defensive Player of the Year, and goaltender Ken Montour
has won the Goaltender of the Year Award for the 2009 season.

Billy Dee Smith captured this year's Defenseman of the Year
award in his sixth season in the league. Smith played in 13
games for the Bandits during the regular season, accumulating 47
loose balls - the second highest total of his career - in the
process. He served as a key member of a Bandits defense that
allowed the third lowest number of goals during the regular season
(170), which equates to an average of 10.63 goals/game. Smith
collected a total of 33 penalty minutes, and also assisted the
offense with a career-best 12 points on five goals and seven
assists during the season.

Transition player Brodie Merrill may have just had his best
season yet. The four-time All-Star set career-high's in
assists (33) and loose balls collected (216) as the Portland
LumberJax finished second in the West Division. For his
efforts, the Georgetown University alum has been named the league's
Transition Player of the Year. Merrill also scored 14 goals
as he finished with 47 points.

Playing in his seventh season in the NLL, Bandits goaltender Ken
Montour submitted the best statistical season of his career.
After beginning the season in a rotation with teammate Mike
Thompson, Montour quickly established himself as the top goaltender
on the Buffalo roster. At the end of the regular season,
Montour posted the top goals against average (9.57) and save
percentage (81.3%) in the league; he was the only starting
goaltender with a goals against average under 10. He finished
in a tie for second most wins amongst all goaltenders while
compiling an 8-3 record and totaled the seventh most saves in the
league with 451.

The 2009 awards announcements continue Tuesday with the
announcement of the Rookie of the Year and the All-Rookie Team.